


Endeavouring To Give Satisfaction

by JohnAmendAll



Category: Robots - Isaac Asimov
Genre: Cake, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-16
Updated: 2012-07-16
Packaged: 2017-11-23 18:50:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 441
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/625446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JohnAmendAll/pseuds/JohnAmendAll
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gladia's having trouble with her chef again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Endeavouring To Give Satisfaction

**Author's Note:**

> For a LiveJournal 'domestic pairings' meme, to the prompt "cooking a cake".

"No, no, no." Gladia snatched the spoon out of her robotic chef's hand. "Look at that — you've ruined it." She dipped her finger in the mixture, tasted it, and grimaced. "That's the last time I trust you to learn a recipe from a bookfilm. Jander!"

A slender, red-headed, soberly dressed figure entered the room. Though he was entirely human in appearance, Gladia was closely enough acquainted with him that she could, if she wanted to, list half-a-dozen clues to his robotic nature. It was rare that she did want to, though.

R. Jander Pannell bowed. "Mistress?"

"Jander, I need to reprogram Argyron again. He's made a complete mess of these cupcakes!" She waved the spoon for emphasis; a blob of the unsuccessful mixture landed on her sleeve. She rounded on the hapless chef. "Now look what you've made me do!"

"My apologies, Mistress," the chef replied, its voice sounding almost distressed. "It grieves me that I am the cause of any harm to you."

Gladia was already pulling the dress off. "Jander, take this away and have it cleaned at once. I'm going to..."

She broke off, as a thought struck her.

"Argyron, leave us," she said. "Jander, as soon as you've seen to the dress, come back here. And then we are not to be disturbed under any circumstances short of a clear and present emergency."

"Yes, Mistress," the two chorused. With identical bows, they left.

Jander's errand did not take him long; within very little time of his departure, he once more entered the kitchen. Since his robotic nature did not permit of surprise, it was with no more emotion than a weather satellite that he observed his mistress standing in the centre of the kitchen, her remaining clothes scattered to its far corners.

"Jander," she said. There was a tone in her voice which left Jander in less than 3% doubt what activity would shortly be expected of him. "I really don't know what to do with this. It's quite inedible, but I wouldn't like to see it go to waste." She plunged one hand in the mixing bowl, then held it up, watching the mixture drip from her fingers. "Of course, the taste wouldn't bother you, would it?"

"No, Mistress."

Gladia laughed, and picked up the mixing bowl with both hands. "Splendid. Take your clothes off, and— whoops! How _clumsy_ of me!"

Jander obediently began to disrobe. With robotic efficiency, he mentally scheduled an extra visit to this room by the cleaning robot. Experience had taught him that its normal routine was barely adequate when the mistress took it into her head to play with her food.


End file.
